


Agent 23

by joellen



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-03-27
Packaged: 2018-05-28 02:31:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6311653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joellen/pseuds/joellen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Agent 23, a young woman still feeling the effects of Hydra's attack, is given an assignment by Nick Fury: recruit Daredevil. But how will she deal with the fact that her brother's old college friend, Matt Murdock, a man she's had a crush on since she was eighteen, is the Devil of Hell's Kitchen?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Agent 23

**Author's Note:**

> Set in between Season 1 and Season 2.

Agent 23 walked around the shiny new Avengers facility feeling...empty. She had survived the attack at the Triskelion. She watched as friends of hers were cut down like animals. She watched as people she thought were friends pulled the triggers. Nick Fury had promised her that things would be different this time around. He promised that S.H.I.E.L.D. would be better than the previous iteration. She still believed in good guys which was why she stayed.

Agent 23 was recruited straight out of Columbia after she finished her degree. She had her hesitations - she knew S.H.I.E.L.D.’s reputation. She knew that sometimes the government could be fucked up and S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn’t immune to that. But her degree in English literature and the lack of jobs made the idea of being an agent sound...adventurous and exciting and exotic. Nick Fury had recruited her himself. She wasn’t a particularly good student - she got decent grades, but there was always someone smarter. She was trained in martial arts - having earned a black belt, but there were so many other people with black belts in the world. On paper, she was just...ordinary. But Nick Fury saw something in her. Agent 23 didn’t know what exactly, but knowing that her boss believed in her - saw potential in her - it was something that she craved.

But did she still crave it? Was this life - the life of an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. worth the nightmares? The panic attacks? Was it worth the loss of appetite and the spike of adrenaline and fear every time she heard something loud?  

“Agent.”

23 turned and stood at attention as Nick Fury regarded her with sympathy. Her parents had died when she had just turned eighteen - leaving her in her older brother’s care. The death of their parents’ hadn’t hit Alan as hard. Alan was the strong one. It was a fact. He had also been the strong one.

Right before their parents’ death, she had gotten accepted into Columbia while Alan was in the midst of law school there. They sold what they didn’t want to keep - or couldn’t - and she went to live with him.

“At ease.” 

23 relaxed. “Sir?”

“I see you’re admiring the view.”

It was beautiful outside - no cities, no tall buildings to obscure the view of the sunrise or sunset. Sometimes she missed New York City. Sometimes she didn’t.

“Yes, sir.”

“I have an assignment for you.”

Something cold slid down her back starting from the top of her neck all the way down to her tailbone. An assignment? Was she ready? Fury had said she could take all the time she needed. The amount of blood she saw was hard to forget.

“I think it’s time for you to go back into the field, agent.”

“Sir?”

“I know -  you don’t think you’re ready,” he said. “But you’re one of the best and I need the best on this - besides, it’ll bring you back to your hometown. 

 _Hell’s Kitchen_. Her hometown. “Sir - I don’t think - “

“Have you heard of this Daredevil or the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen?”

She felt her stomach drop. She knew what he wanted.

“You want me to recruit him,” she said quietly.

“Yes, I do. And you’re the best person for the job. Do you want to know why?”

23 didn’t say anything.

“Because you’re familiar with the territory and if there's anyone who could get into the mind of this Daredevil, it’s you.” He handed her the folder he had in his hand. She opened it. There were photos of this masked vigilante and whatever written reports and statements NYPD had on him. He didn’t have any crazy tech like Stark. He didn’t wear his colors proudly like Cap. The only weapons he carried appeared to be clubs - definitely not a Hawkeye or a Black Widow. She wondered what made him so special. But he loved Hell’s Kitchen. That was clear enough from the news and reports - the people he saved - the crime he stopped. He wanted to make Hell’s Kitchen... _safe._ If that was possible, she couldn’t say. “What do you say?”

With a sigh, she closed the folder and looked up at Fury. He was right. She was the best person for this job. “Okay.”

* * *

Things hadn’t changed at all. At least that’s how it looked like to Agent 23 as the cab drove her away from the airport. She had only taken a shoulder bag and a backpack with her - anything else she needed she could buy. Besides, packing light was always recommended. She didn’t know if one second she’ll be walking down the street and the next she’ll be running for her life.

“Right here?” The cabbie said to her as he stopped in front of an unremarkable building in Hell’s Kitchen. She found the plaque Foggy described on the phone. “Nelson and Murdock” it read.

“Yeah, right here,” she said and then paid the cabbie before getting out. Foggy Nelson and Matt Murdock had been friends of her brother’s back at Columbia. She always begged Alan to let her come with him when they all hung out either at Foggy and Matt’s place or somewhere else. Really, all she wanted to do was stare at Matt. It was a pretty known fact that she had a crush on Matt Murdock. He had always been sweet and kind to her. He never dismissed her like her brother sometimes did when he wanted a break from babysitting an 18-year-old for one night. He talked to her - got to know her - smiled at her. She didn’t care that he was blind - in fact, she was kind of happy that he was, even though she felt guilty for thinking that - she didn’t feel like she looked ordinary to him - she felt...extraordinary. But that didn’t stop her from being shy. God, was she shy. It was why she had called Foggy and not Matt. She still had a crush on him - although it wasn’t as strong as before, but it was still there - those little inklings of... _something_.

She took in a deep breath and went up.

Their office was empty when she arrived and she wondered if it was always like this. There was food stacked in one corner and chairs stacked in another with the blinds pulled up. The last rays of sun shone through the windows. “Hello?” 23 called out. A door on the side opened.

“Holy shit! There she is!” Foggy exclaimed and he went over and hugged her. He was followed by a woman with long, light hair...and Matt.

“Hey, Foggy,” 23 said with a soft smile. Foggy was the best. Especially after Alan died, Foggy became a surrogate older brother. He was there for every phone call - every text she sent. Everything.

“How are you, Ophie?” _Ophie_. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had called her that or her first name, Ophelia, for that matter. Back at S.H.I.E.L.D. it was Agent, Agent 23, or just 23. Sometimes she liked it better that way. Sometimes she didn’t.

“I’ve been better,” 23 said as Foggy let go of her.

“Hey, Ophelia,” Matt said. 23 smiled shyly as he hugged her. She wanted to melt into him. She didn’t realized how much she missed home until he had his arms around her. All those nights spent talking after Foggy and Alan passed out drunk on cheap alcohol. All those nights hoping and wishing for something more than just being his friend’s little sister.

“Ophie, this is Karen, she’s also amazing,” Foggy said, pulling 23 out of Matt’s hold.

“Hi, it’s so nice to meet you,” Karen said. They shook hands. She was pretty and dressed well.

“You, too,” 23 said.

“Foggy and Matt have been telling me all about you,” Karen added. _Ah_ , 23 thought. They told Karen about her family judging by the soft look of pity on her face.

“Good things, I hope,” 23 said, knowing that was something appropriate to say.

“C’mon, Ophie, we only have good things to say about you,” Foggy said, swinging his arm onto her shoulders. They all laughed. 

“So what brings you back to Hell’s Kitchen?” Matt asked. 

“Just a vacation.” _A lie_. She had to.

“You work for the government, right?” Karen asked.

23 nodded. “Yeah - “

“This kid has been working non-stop since she graduated,” Foggy said. “A vacation has definitely been earned. C’mon, drinks on me at Josie’s!”

* * *

Foggy and Karen were playing pool as 23 nursed a bottle of beer. Matt was at the bar, ordering another round. How, after all this time, she still feel shy and awkward around him? She had faced guns and bullets and death, but she couldn’t face him. She wondered if Karen had a thing for him.

“I’m really glad you came by the office,” Matt said. 23 quickly got the drinks from his hands and set them on the table.

“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to visit, but, you know, work.”

Matt huffed out a laugh as he felt around for his chair and sat down. “Yeah, I know.”

“How’s the firm going?” She asked before sipping her beer. 

“Good,” he replied. “Most of our clients pay us in food, but we don’t mind too much.” He smiled and 23 couldn’t help, but smile back.

“Well, if I ever need legal counsel, I’ll be sure to whip up some of my famous cheesecake.”

“Please do,” Matt said with a laugh. “I can’t remember the last time you made it for us.”

She could. It was at her brother’s funeral - afterwards when everyone came back to their apartment. She had baked several cheesecakes the night before, more than enough. She had needed something to do. 

“Where are you staying?” Matt asked after drinking his beer.

“Just a hotel a few blocks away. I told Foggy I was on vacation, but I’ve got a bit of work to do while I’m here.”

Matt raised his brows. “What kind?”

“It’s kind of classified,” she admitted. “You know how the government is.”

He cracked a smile. “Yeah, I know.” Another sip. “I really am glad you came by. It’s always good to see you. Sometimes, I...worry about you.”

It was her turn to raise her brows. “You do?”

“Of course. Especially after…” _After Alan died_. She knew what he was going to say. After he died - when it was just her - after the funeral - when all the flowers she received were still fresh, she packed up. She had already been recruited to S.H.I.E.L.D. and was going to join Fury in one month’s time, but why wait? Why wait when the only place you called home felt foreign? “I’m sorry. You probably don’t want to talk about that tonight.”

“It’s okay,” 23 said quietly. It wasn’t, but she was sure Matt didn’t want to hear that. “But I’m glad you worry about me - you and Foggy. It reminds me that I still have family in this world.” Matt smiled softly at her and then reached across the table for her hand. Her heart thudded in her chest as he laid it gently on top of hers.

“I know you and Foggy...talk more, but if there’s anything you need, anything at all, feel free to give me a call. I promise I’ll pick up.”

“Okay,” she replied.

* * *

It was almost midnight when 23 made it back to her hotel. She had dropped off her things before going to Josie’s. After taking off her pants, she sat cross-legged on the bed and turned on her standard issued S.H.I.E.L.D. laptop. It was time to get to work.


	2. The Man in Red

23 adjusted her balaclava and watched a meeting between a handful drug dealers and their leader from high up on a metal bridge. The meeting was taking place in an abandon warehouse. Most buildings were like this in Hell’s Kitchen - abandoned and run down. It was the perfect location for a meeting like this to take place. And this was right up Daredevil’s alley. Drugs. Criminals. Secret meetings. 23 wondered how Daredevil was able to drop into these meetings. It wasn’t reported to the cops. This wasn’t a sting. But it was a chance to purify the city from them...23 would be surprised if Daredevil _didn’t_ show up.

“We gotta take Mid-Town,” the leader said. He was short, but burley and wore a leather jacket and dark blue jeans.

“Daredevil’s got a lock on that location,” one of the dealers said. “We’ll never sell.”

“That’s why I got us reinforcements.” The leader went over to a metal crate and lifted the lid. Inside were AK-47s. Illegal, of course. 23 lifted her brows. Big guns for what seemed to be a medium sized collective of suppliers and dealers. But she figured she couldn’t blame them for having such illegal firearms. Daredevil had been able to clean up the small and medium-sized drug dealing groups. They must’ve thought that AK-47s were a necessity.

But 23 wasn’t there to help Daredevil. This was purely a reconnaissance mission. Observe and ascertain. She wasn’t going to approach the masked vigilante if he showed up. She just wanted to see how he worked.

She didn’t need to wait for long.

The dealers were checking out the guns when there was the sound of a crash and then glass breaking. One after another, lights started going out. More glass. Less lighting. And then it was pitch black. 23 lowered the night vision glasses over her eyes and watched as the scene unfolded.

Two of the five dealers were immediately knocked out with what appeared to be metal clubs flung straight at them. The rest took out handguns and started shooting. 23 ducked as shots rang. But they were quickly silenced as Daredevil knocked them out. The guy was trained - he wasn’t just punching these guys - he was kicking, jumping, but it was all done precisely.

23 was impressed to say the least. Whoever this guy was, he wasn’t an amateur. His fighting - his suit - the weapons he used, this wasn’t a hobby. He put time and effort into this. He wasn’t blindly fighting his way through.

There was a circle of unconscious men around him when he suddenly jerked his head up - locking eyes with 23. “Shit,” she hissed under her breath and quickly made her escape through an open window near by.

* * *

 The name “Karen Page” had sounded familiar to 23 and it wasn’t until after meeting her in person did she realize why. Daredevil had saved her - it was in a police report Fury had included in the folder. The day after the retcon mission, 23 found herself back at Nelson and Murdock. Foggy had invited her to have lunch with them. Lunch mostly consisted of heating the food clients gave to them in the microwave and sitting around the office and eating it.

There was a “Closed for Lunch” sign on the front door of the office as she walked in. 23 was greeted by Karen. “Hey, Ophelia,” Karen said, greeting her warmly. Foggy stuck his head out of his office.

“Hey! There she is!” Foggy came out to greet her with a hug. 23 knew how lucky she was to have Foggy in her life. Even when she was at S.H.I.E.L.D., Foggy was still someone she called up when she needed to vent or celebrate a success. She couldn’t say much about her work, but Foggy didn’t seem to mind. It was as if he was use to secrets. Matt came out of his office, too, and 23 blushed before she noticed something. He had a cut on his lip. Fresh. Still red.

“Welcome back,” Matt said with a smile. 23 smiled back.

“Thanks,” she replied and put down her bag by a chair.

They heated up some food and ate near Karen’s desk. On the papers that morning there was an article about Daredevil stopping that meeting with the drug dealers right on the front page. 23 thought maybe that was a good place to start.

“When you told me about the masked vigilantes, you didn’t tell me they were basically doing NYPD’s job,” 23 said to Foggy. They had talked about vigilantes on the phone before, but she had never been too interested. She worked with the Avengers, after all. She had her hands full.

Foggy paused for a moment before speaking as if he was deciding what and what not to say. “Things have been a little different since the last time you were here,” Foggy finally answered.

“Have you actually seen this _Daredevil_ in person?” 23 asked. “Have any of you?” She played it like she was an interested outsider looking in. Sure, the Avengers were in the news all the time - especially Stark - but this Daredevil was different. He worked alone. He wasn’t trying to make a spectacle out of any situation. He wholeheartedly believed in his mission.

“I have,” Karen said.

23 looked over at her. Karen had taken the bait.

“Really?” 23 asked, eyes widening.

“Yeah,” Karen said with a nod. “He helped me out a couple of times.” 23 could tell it was a touchy subject for her, probably linked with some sort of trauma.

“What’s he like?” 23 asked.

“He’s....” 23 could tell Karen was trying to put into words how she felt. Masked vigilantes were a...subject that divided many people. “I don’t know…” Karen laughed a bit. “It’s hard to describe. But what I do know is that Hell’s Kitchen needs him.” The air changed inside the room.

23 raised her brows. “Why do you think that?”

“When you look at Wilson Fisk or any of the other top players that were here in Hell’s Kitchen, they had cops, politicians, anyone of any importance in their back pockets. Daredevil is the only one actually doing any work around here in terms of cleaning up the city.”

23 couldn’t blame Karen for feeling the way she did. She knew she felt the same way about Cap. It was hard not to root for the good guys. But 23 saw how ego and power corrupted even the most well-intentioned people.

“What do you think about Daredevil?” Matt asked her. She turned her head sharply and looked at him.

“I don’t know,” 23 said with a shrug. “I still wholeheartedly believe in the law, but I understand why we have vigilantes. The law failed in their eyes.” Foggy looked between the two of them. “The law has failed in a lot of people’s eyes. Sure, this Daredevil has done a lot of good, but he’s just one man. He took out Fisk and the other criminal organizations in Hell’s Kitchen, but then that leaves a vacuum for others to step in. And that’ll keep happening until laws puts an end to it.”

“So pessimistic,” Matt said.

“Not pessimistic, just realistic.”

“Well,” Foggy said, trying to lighten the mood. “Who wants some of Mrs. Fredericks’ pecan pie?”

* * *

That night, 23 found herself at Columbia University. It felt strange being here after everything that happened. She stayed and got her degree after Alan died, but she had a hard time focusing. When she graduated and left to join S.H.I.E.L.D., it felt like she was finally surfacing after being dragged under muddy water.

She walked through the campus, her hands in her pockets. She wanted to take a break. After coming back to Hell’s Kitchen, all she had been doing was researching and retcon work. She didn’t think she could approach Daredevil in the field just yet. She wasn’t too sure how hostile he would be to being approached with an offer to join the Avengers.

It was late as she walked back to her hotel. She didn’t realize it until it was too late, but she was being herded. A pair of men walking toward her from the front and a pair of men following from the back. She didn’t have her S.H.I.E.L.D. issued handgun or mace. But she didn’t need them. She had her fists.

“What’s a pretty young girl doing out here alone at night?” Asked one of the men approaching her. She tried to cross the street but they followed.

“Eh! Come back here. We just want to talk.” Another one of the group grabbed her shoulder and jerked her back but she took him by surprise when she elbowed his throat and then turned to kick his crotch and face. He fell onto the ground as the three other man surged forward - all of them taking out switchblades.

23 was ready, putting her fists up, until someone in a dark red suit and mask dropped down in front of her and started fighting. _Daredevil_. There was no time to stare in disbelief as a man tried to slice her arm. He missed and received a kick to his face. 23 quickly disarmed him, tossing away the blade before knocking him out with his fist. Daredevil didn’t have any trouble disposing of the other two. The four men were left unconscious.

23 looked at the man in red as she caught her breath. He was breathing hard, too.

“You were at the warehouse last night,” Daredevil said. His voice was rough, but there was something... _familiar_ about it. “Why?”

“I have no idea what you’re talk - “

“Don’t lie.” He turned his head sharply to look at her but didn’t approach. “Why were you there?”

“I can’t talk here,” 23 said. “But I can meet you at the rooftop of the Elizabeth Hotel tomorrow night.”

He looked at her and nodded before he ran down the alley and disappeared into the dark.


	3. Panic

It was cold. 23 shivered under her coat as she walked to a coffee shop she liked to go to when she still lived here. 

She was nervous about tonight. Each of the Avengers was easy to dissect and examine. Stark had a god complex. Cap was too optimistic and trusting for his own good. But Daredevil...she couldn’t quite get a grasp on him. He loved the city. He put away the bad guys. But why? What has Hell’s Kitchen done for anyone except let crime right in through an open door? Why would someone defend that?

She was greeted by the warm scent of freshly brewed coffee and went up to order. When she turned after grabbing her cup, she nearly spilled it everywhere as she bumped into someone. “What the hell?” She said before she looked up and saw Matt. 

“Ophelia?”

“Matt! I’m so sorry,” she said, blushing. 

“It’s okay,” he said with a smile. She looked around, noticing that they were blocking the pickup counter. 23 took his elbow and steered him to an empty table for two. 

“What would you like? It’s on me,” 23 said.

“Coffee’s fine.”

She nodded and got back in line, coming back a couple minutes later with a cup for him. She sat down and took a sip. Matt reached for his cup slowly, making sure not to knock it over and took a sip.

“I didn’t know you come here,” she said after setting her cup down. 

“It’s on my way to work, actually,” he said. 

“Oh,” she said after she nodded.

“How has your vacation been so far?” Matt asked.

“Fine, fine,” she replied. “Just revisiting old haunts.”

He nodded as he set his cup down. “What’s the next haunt on the list for today?”

“I don’t know. I’m playing it by ear. You know...just retracing my steps back when I still lived here.” She looked down. As much as she wanted this place to feel like home again, it still harbored memories she wanted to forget. She huffed out a laugh and looked up at him. “I keep telling myself that...that I’ll get over what happened - that I’ll feel better - “

“But you can’t and you won’t,” he said, finishing her sentence. He reached across the table and felt around for her hand, before resting his hand on her wrist. “I understand. It’s hard. You needed to take a break. Get away for a little while. But when you’re back, everything comes flooding back in.”

“Yeah,” she said softly, looking down at his hand on her. She wanted to thread their fingers together. To feel what it would be like to hold hands - to be more than just friends. But she couldn’t allow herself such a luxury. If she had people she cared about in her life - if they were active participants rather than just people dropping in on her with a phone call or text here and there when they get scared that she did something to herself - she couldn’t let Hydra have them. She couldn’t watch her friends get killed over and over again. She refused to let anyone get close now after everything that happened. “I’m sorry,” she said, taking her hand away from his. “You probably need to get to work.” 23 stood up and grabbed her to-go cup. 

Matt had a concerned look on his face but he didn’t get up.

“No need to be sorry,” he said. 

“Bye, Matt.” 23 turned and left. 

Things felt raw - between her and Matt - between the city and her. Maybe she and Daredevil were two sides to the same coin - two products of living in Hell’s Kitchen. She embodied the law and everything it stood for - and Daredevil embodied the chaotic good that came when the law failed. 

She finished up her coffee and threw away the cup. Now it was a waiting game.

* * *

She was sporting the balaclava again - dressed in black to blend into the dark.

It was midnight. The city was still lit up. New York never really did sleep. It was like a well cared for machine. It rarely broke down. It was dependable. 

23 heard a thud and then footsteps. She turned sharply - finding the man in red walking toward her. Something spiked in her - fear or adrenaline or both, she didn’t know. But she was ready to fight if she had to. A part of her felt like she was safe with him. A part of her felt like he could snap her neck at any moment.

“You showed up,” 23 said. He stopped a few feet in front of her.

“Why are you wearing that?” He asked.

“You never know who’s watching,” she replied. She had been on high alert since the Triskelion collapsed. 

“Why were you at the warehouse?” 

“I was watching you,” she answered honestly. “I’m from an organization called S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“Shield?” 

23 could hear the confusion in his voice. He must’ve had his own opinion on what happened. Everyone did.

“I’m part of a new faction,” she continued. “I work directly with the Avengers and I’m here to make you an offer.”

There was a long period of silence. 23 shifted uncomfortably as she cursed Nick Fury in her head. This wasn’t going to work. He wasn’t going to say yes. She was set up for failure. She never failed.

Daredevil lunged forward on top of her and they fell to the ground. There was no time to protest because less than a second later, there was the sound of a gun going off - the bullet hitting the wall where 23’s head would’ve been if Daredevil hadn’t pushed her to the ground.

Her heart felt like it was going to explode - it hurt and she couldn’t breathe. “Stay down!” He shouted as she tried to push him off. 

And then he got up, grabbing her hand and pulling her with him. He started running - dragging her behind him. She was trying to keep up. Another gunshot. 23 screamed and covered her head. Daredevil jumped down onto the next rooftop, holding his arms up to catch her. She climbed over the ledge and they continued running until finding a fire escape. More gunshots. “Hurry, they’re reloading.”

She didn’t have enough air in her lungs to ask how he knew that - she just knew she had to keep going. They went down the fire escape and into an alley.

“Come on,” he whispered and they started down through the darkness. The course he put them on seemed like a maze. 

“He’s gone,” he said after about twenty minutes of running. They were leaning against the outside of a building, catching their breath. 

“What - what happened?” 23 asked, breathing in deeply.

“I was hoping you could tell me...come on, this way.” He took her hand - they had been holding hands the entire time, but she hadn’t noticed until now. 

Another fifteen minutes and they came upon an apartment building. The man in red started up the fire escape before stopping at a window near the top and going inside. 23 followed, looking back behind her shoulder every few seconds - scared that whoever shot at her had followed them. But Daredevil wasn’t worrying about that for the moment. “Where are we? Whose apartment is this?” She asked as she looked around, her eyes falling on the man in red. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. The edges of her vision were dark. She couldn’t see straight. She was losing the feeling in her hands. And her lungs - she felt like she was suffocating - like she was going to die. 

He turned to face her. “It’s mine.” 23 watched as he pressed his palms to each side of his helmet and lifted it off. 

She felt faint. Her eyes rolled back. She blacked out. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing a Daredevil fic and my first fic in a very long time. Be gentle!


End file.
